Roy Moore response shows GOP deserves to dieThis is the sorry culmination of two trends that have disfigured the conservative movement: contempt for the facts and desire to win at all costs.

You may have thought that Republicans had sunk as low as they could possibly go last year when they nominated for the presidency a man who was singularly unfit, morally and mentally, for that post. But, no, once you start racing to the bottom you never quite stop. There is always another level of degeneracy to be plumbed.

Enter Roy Moore, the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama. He believes that “homosexual conduct should be illegal” and that Muslims should not b e permitted to serve in Congress. Now the Washington Post reports that this fearless crusader for “traditional values” had a habit of propositioning underage girls.

In one case in 1979, when he was a 32-year-old assistant district attorney, the Post reports, Moore allegedly offered to watch a “little girl” outside a courthouse for her mother. He subsequently took advantage of this entree to kiss and fondle this 14-year-old after undressing both of them down to their underwear. The statute of limitations has expired on this sordid episode, but under Alabama law it would constitute sexual abuse in the second degree and be punishable by up to a year in prison.

Under common morality, of the kind that Moore claims to champion, his conduct is simply vile. You don’t have to be the parent of teenage girls — which I am — to be deeply disgusted. Yet he is utterly unrepentant. Moore simply waves off the allegations, claiming, “This garbage is the very definition of fake news and intentional defamation.”

On his Twitter feed he has the gall to write, “Our children and grandchildren’s futures are on the line. So rest assured — I will NEVER GIVE UP the fight!” He even has the audacity to send a fundraising appeal to his supporters claiming that the Post article is evidence that “the forces of evil are on the march in our country,” and asking for a donation to fight the “Clinton-Obama machine.”

So far, much to their eternal discredit, Moore’s Republican backers in Alabama appear to be sticking by him. Paul Reynolds, the Republican national committee man from Alabama, told The Hill that he doesn’t trust The Washington Post: “If I’ve got a choice of putting my welfare into the hands of Putin or The Washington Post, Putin wins every time.” State auditor Jim Ziegler is willing to admit the charges are true, but he doesn’t care. He cited the Biblical story of Mary and Joseph — “Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus”— and concluded, “There’s just nothing immoral or illegal here. Maybe just a little bit unusual.”

Republicans in Washington are slightly less gung-ho for Roy Moore, but that doesn’t mean they are willing to do the right thing—which is to call on him to leave the race immediately and endorse his Democratic opponent if he doesn’t. President Trump’s mealy-mouthed statement, delivered via his press secretary, speaks volumes: “The president believes we cannot allow a mere allegation, in this case one from many years ago, to destroy a person’s life. However, the president also believes that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore will do the right thing and step aside."

The key words here, echoed by Republican senators, are “if these allegations are true.” Well, of course, no one wants to see anyone punished for false allegations. But how is their truth or falsity to be established? It is too late for a court case, unless Moore is foolish enough to sue The Washington Post for libel — and that would take years to resolve. The Post account is full of detailed corroboration from 30 people, including the victims, who spoke on the record. Moore offers vague denials and non-sequiturs about how he is supposedly a devoted family man.

By treating this as a “mere allegation … from many years ago,” the Republican establishment is in effect giving Moore a pass — just as they gave Trump a pass after he confessed on videotape to sexual assault. So far only a few honorable Republicans, including Mitt Romney, John McCain and John Kasich, recognize that the presumption of innocence applies to criminal defendants, not political candidates.

This episode is the sorry culmination of two trends that have disfigured the conservative movement beyond all recognition: contempt for the facts and desire to win at all costs. Republicans are increasingly reliant on “alternative facts” manufactured by the likes of Fox News and Breitbart, which claim that global warming isn’t real and neither is the Russian hack of the Democratic National Committee. The real scandal, they tell us, is the Steele dossier paid for by the Democrats in an attempt to uncover Trump’s Russian connections. Or is it the evidence-free claim that Obama supposedly wiretapped Trump?

In the final analysis, no indictment of their candidate will convince the faithful. As Trump once said, “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters.” Or, more to the point, Roy Moore could molest a 14-year-old girl and not lose votes. Because for Republican partisans, their opponents are “the forces of evil,” and anything is preferable to that. Even Donald Trump. Even Roy Moore. So in ostensibly fighting evil, Republicans have become complicit in it.

Read closer. It said the GOP (that is a political party) deserves to die and not a human being. Interesting that you would take the title out of context and feign concern for violence in a much more excited manner than you did for the death/deaths in Charlottesville, Las Vegas and Texas where “real” people were killed. You should re-read that article again closely because it definitely has a valuable message for you in there.

Guy doesn't think there's a problem. This country is peppered with sexual predators. Not a week goes by that we don't see it on the evening news--women and children kidnapped, assaulted, and/or murdered. But....so what??

Time and time again we have seen our lawmakers and our presidents--our priests and our pastors---our crazy uncles take advantage of their authority and power. Child pornography is rampant. Human trafficking is a national disgrace.

Children are no longer free to play in their own yards or walk to school unsupervised or LEFT with a so-called "friend". Women are no longer free to date without being drugged and assaulted. Date rape is out of control. Men cannot be trusted--particularly those who abuse their positions.
AND then there are the victims. It doesn't matter whether they are children or grown women. When they cry "RAPE" they are victimized all over again. Most of us NEVER say a word because of the shame and guilt.
Someone on DTT asked (about Moore's accusors) "WHY NOW?" After all these years--why now?? Here's the answer: Society tends to blame the victims. Good women and children DON'T get assaulted. Courtrooms are rife with questions like "Why were you in that place at that time?" and "Why did you go to that person's room?" "What were you wearing?" "Did you say no?" "How many sexual partners have you had?"
Then, of course, there are the threats: "This is our little secret." "If you tell anyone I will hurt/kill your mother/father/sister."

Read closer. It said the GOP (that is a political party) deserves to die and not a human being. Interesting that you would take the title out of context and feign concern for violence in a much more excited manner than you did for the death/deaths in Charlottesville, Las Vegas and Texas where “real” people were killed. You should re-read that article again closely because it definitely has a valuable message for you in there.

That's how the right brain functions.

Denial, and then deflection.

Take anything out of context, you can make it mean anything you want it to.

No other way around it. Moore needs to withdraw from the race. Post haste!
With that said...

Here is but another one of the problems with our politics. Romney and McCain. Now their being honorable?

Allegedly from our media during their presidential runs, the stereotype was; One is a greedy unfeeling out of touch 1 percenter who happened to be a Mormon (heaven forbid) And the other, a crazy old war vet and former pow with mental issues. Would we want a possibly crazy and old tempermental fogie with one foot in a nursing home and the other in the Senate, as president with access to the Nuke codes?

Neither we're liked or trusted with anything said or done then by Democrats or the media. But they are now? *Sigh"

And our friends on the left wonder how Trump ever got elected and Roy Moore still has substantial supporters on his side even in the face of this scandal.

As far as scandals go, many on both sides don't take them seriously anymore because the automatic reaction is that it's the action of the evil other side doing this. Whatever the persons transgressions we're are automatically forgiven for the sake of expediency in the face of an unbalanced unhealthy media driven atmosphere.

And again, people are surprised Trump is president and Roy Moore has a shot at a Senate seat!?

No other way around it. Moore needs to withdraw from the race. Post haste!
With that said...

Here is but another one of the problems with our politics. Romney and McCain. Now their being honorable?

Allegedly from our media during their presidential runs, the stereotype was; One is a greedy unfeeling out of touch 1 percenter who happened to be a Mormon (heaven forbid) And the other, a crazy old war vet and former pow with mental issues. Would we want a possibly crazy and old tempermental fogie with one foot in a nursing home and the other in the Senate, as president with access to the Nuke codes?

Neither we're liked or trusted with anything said or done then by Democrats or the media. But they are now? *Sigh"

And our friends on the left wonder how Trump ever got elected and Roy Moore still has substantial supporters on his side even in the face of this scandal.

As far as scandals go, many on both sides don't take them seriously anymore because the automatic reaction is that it's the action of the evil other side doing this. Whatever the persons transgressions we're are automatically forgiven for the sake of expediency in the face of an unbalanced unhealthy media driven atmosphere.

And again, people are surprised Trump is president and Roy Moore has a shot at a Senate seat!?

There's some truth there. There's also some truth to Trump being the first president elected by a dumbed down electorate.

And Panther, it was the right side that introduced the evil opponent concept. A DTT member made a post today about how Christians can't compromise with the left because they are evil. Think about it. You don't compromise with evil, and avoid talking with evil as much as possible.

There's some truth there. There's also some truth to Trump being the first president elected by a dumbed down electorate.

I imagine 21st century US politics will be studied by future historians as the most fascinating time period in US political history for its scope and length of animosity between the two parties and their effect on the nation. Is this the time of the optimates and populares?

As much as I think I gleefully insult the US populace at times, I don't think who they choose to support is because they've gotten dumber in backing
Trump or Hillary. Rather, it is and has been the perversion of truth and the rise of spreading intolerance through a public medium that has given rise to the least qualified for higher office.

Quote:

And Panther, it was the right side that introduced the evil opponent concept. A DTT member made a post today about how Christians can't compromise with the left because they are evil. Think about it. You don't compromise with evil, and avoid talking with evil as much as possible.

I think it is always wrong and distracting to try and pin point who started it when nobody really knows which party did. Chartitably speaking, to claim both sides did would be the right answer in the scheme of US history. Both sides have been saying the other is evil for a long time, publicly and privately.
Anyways, what's the point? It doesn't address the issues we face now by pointing fingers and blaming the other side for this country's slide down the slippery slope facing us right now.

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That pretty much describes the state of our Congress don't ya think?[/QUOTE]

I don't know? I thinks this is more a poor reflection of the populace inadequate grasp of the issues we really face in reality and the guilt of our media in doing a piss poor job in accurately sharing unbiased political information. Not too mention, our naivety in believing foreign governments wouldnt take advantage of such a godsend!